Co-op supermarket branches in Croydon have been left very short of stock after an apparent IT issue left the retailer short of food deliveries.

Since the so-called "Beast from the East" hit the borough at the end of February, eagle-eyed residents have noticed that some of the food retailer’s shelves have not been as jam-packed with produce as is normally the case.

And with snow hitting the borough once more at the weekend, it seems the problems have continued.

Jim McDonald regularly shops in the East Croydon branch, located on Lansdowne Road, and normally purchases a sandwich and a snack for his lunch.

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The 44-year-old, who lives on Ashling Road, in Addiscombe, has been left frustrated with Co-op's explanation for its lack of produce, with one notice inside the Lower Addiscombe Road branch citing an “IT issue” as the cause of the problem.

He said: “I use the East Croydon Co-op every morning at about 7am. I have come to rely on it for the things I need for my lunch as I work nearby.

Co-op stores in Croydon have been lightly stocked over the past month (Image: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

“Since the first snow disruption at the start of the month, the way the store has been stocked has been pretty poor. Various reasons are given, the latest one being IT issues at their depot.

“Whilst I agree that might disrupt supply for a day or two, it has been a fortnight now, which suggests a deeper problem. The Addiscombe branch has also been badly stocked last weekend.

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“I used to rely on Co-op and I'd rather shop there than elsewhere, but am finding it difficult to buy basics.”

While Mr McDonald admitted he does feel some sympathy for Co-op, he added: “The lack of basics is becoming a bit of a bore.”

When the Advertiser approached Co-op to ask why stores around the borough have been lightly stocked in recent weeks, a spokesman for the company said there was a temporary issue at a nearby depot which affected deliveries to stores across the South East.

A notice in the Co-op in Addiscombe (Image: Jim McDonald)

He said: “We had experienced some localised disruption with delays from one of our depots, which is now fully operational.